3 Moves Juventus Should Make in Final Weeks of the Summer Transfer Window

Much has changed across Serie A this summer, with a raft of arrivals and departures dramatically altering the landscape of Italian football ahead of the forthcoming season. Milan, Inter, Napoli and Fiorentina have each undergone major transformations, while Juventus will also enter 2015/16 looking very different to last term’s team.

The various transfers made by each of the peninsula’s biggest clubs were discussed at length here, and the Bianconeri will believe the business they have done will help secure a fifth consecutive league title for the Old Lady.

Juventus will hope that new faces Paulo Dybala, Sami Khedira and Mario Mandzukic—as well as Daniele Rugani and Simone Zaza—will offset the loss of Andrea Pirlo, Carlos Tevez and a number of other players who have left Turin.

Yet there are still a few remaining gaps in the squad that need to be filled, and over the following pages are some suggestions as to which players could do just that.

Buy Layvin Kurzawa

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While most areas of the Juventus squad appear extremely well-covered, there is a glaring lack of options at left-back. Kwadwo Asamoah, Martin Caceres and Simone Padoin can fill in occasionally for Patrice Evra, but none of that trio are naturals in the role, while Paolo De Ceglie remains largely disappointing.

The Frenchman’s accurate crossing, overlapping runs and positional awareness added a new dimension to the team last season, allowing coach Massimiliano Allegri to switch between a four-man defence and the 3-5-2 that has been so successful in recent season.

According to Sky Italia, the Bianconeri are considering a move for Layvin Kurzawa of AS Monaco, with the news outlet (h/t Forza Italian Football) believing the 22-year-old has moved into contention ahead of Porto’s Alex Sandro and Guilherme Siqueira from Atletico Madrid.

Sell Fernando Llorente

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While the arrivals of Dybala, Mandzukic and Zaza provide some interesting combinations for Allegri to ponder, the club already have Alvaro Morata, Kingsley Coman and Fernando Llorente at the coach’s disposal.

With the 4-3-1-2 formation again likely to be his favoured formation, that appears to be at least one player too many, and it may well be that Llorente finds himself as the odd man out. According to Mirror Sport’s David MacDonnell, Manchester United have identified the Spaniard as a transfer target, and a move to Old Trafford could be the ideal solution for all concerned.

Likely to see his playing time decrease in 2015/16, the 30-year-old would appear well-suited to English football, while Juventus would also move on one of the squad’s highest-paid players. Given he was already a reserve last season, it makes sense to allow him to move on and use that money elsewhere.

Secure an Attacking Midfielder

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The final piece of the jigsaw is almost certainly a creative midfielder, with Allegri openly admitting at a press conference earlier this week that they are seeking someone to fill that void.

“As far as further signings are concerned, the club has got its eye out for an attacking midfield player with offensive qualities,” the coach explained to reporters per the Juventus website. “We’re assessing our options and requirements.”

The Bianconeri have been linked with Mario Gotze of Bayern Munich and Schalke’s Julian Draxler (h/t Football Italia), while a number of other possibilities remain open. They have retained an option to bring Sassuolo starlet Domenico Berardi to Turin, with the club’s chief executive Giovanni Carnevali telling Radio CRC (h/t Forza Italian Football) that Juventus “have priority” for the talented 20-year-old.

Any one of that trio would be a welcome addition, rounding out the squad and providing a wonderful array of talent for Allegri as he seeks to make the team his own, a matter discussed in depth in this previous column.